Increasingly it becoming necessary, in order to comply with applicable governmental environment regulations, to provide for adequate filtering of debris, silt, and the like from run-off stormwater prior to entry of that run-off water into the stormwater inlets of a constructed drainage system and subsequent flow to a natural drainage system. Such filtering is particularly necessary and important with respect to construction sites having hard-surfaced roadways that include conventional curb and gutter inlet openings in the one or more catch basins comprising a part of the stormwater drainage system.
Many different forms of filter devices have been proposed or offered for such applications but have generally been found to be either unnecessarily complex or difficult to utilize--particularly with respect to filter removal and replacement for maintenance cleaning. Many such filter device forms have required the prior removal of the usually very heavy cast metal drainage system inlet covers or grates in order to achieve proper filter installation. See for instance the disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,157 granted to McGowan, and also U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,154 issued in the names of MacPherson, J. et al.
Other teachings of drainage system inlet filters requiring the removal of inlet covers or grates prior to installation or replacement of the silt and debris filter device include U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,539 issued to Schneider and U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,925 granted to Logue, Jr.
See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,474 granted to Emery for disclosure of a stormwater drainage system inlet filter that, while not requiring the prior removal of an inlet opening cover or grate prior to filter installation or replacement, does require the pre-installation manipulation of a metal mesh container filled with large and heavy volumes of gravel.
Another type of stormwater filter device for stormwater drainage system inlet openings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,741 granted to Slater et al. and, although not requiring removal or replacement of an inlet opening grate or cover, is relatively complex and unnecessarily bulky compared to the invention described and claimed herein.
I have discovered that the shortcomings associated with such prior art may be readily overcome through the use of a novel construction of filter device for stormwater drainage system curb and gutter-type catch basin inlet opening applications. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during a consideration of the descriptions and drawings which follow.